Surviving Against All Odds

Chapter 1

Lucas and Regina spent all of their young lives being dragged by their drug addicted mother, from one bad relationship to another. Chloe, moved them in with yet one more abusive boyfriend. One night in a full blown drunken rage, Frank took his frustrations out on all of them. Lucas getting the brunt of his anger, ending up in the hospital with a concussion and two broken ribs. The police were called to the hospital, where Chloe was taken into custody for child endangerment and sentenced to five years in jail. Regina and Luke were placed in foster care.

The last home they lived in was run by a couple who were only it for the money. They were treated like live in help, having to earn their food and play time. Luke was sure to take the brunt of any anger aimed at them. One day Regina accidentally broke a plate. The house mother took out a wooden spoon to spank her. Luke jumped in between them and took the punishment for her. Regina was forced to watch her brother being beaten for something she had done. He was left with welts on the back of his legs that made it hard for him to sit or lie down. This was the final straw. Luke packed a bag, woke Regina in the middle of the night and they ran away in search of a better life.

Luke

"Run, Rainey, run!" I shout racing past my sister.

Rainey grabs our bag and catches up to me. Ducking into an abandoned building, we find a pile of wood and hide behind it. This is the third time this week I almost got caught stealing. At least this time I was able to procure some bread and peanut butter for us before the grocery clerk chased me down the street.

"Luke, again? I thought you were done stealing? We talked about this."

"I know, but it's so much fun. The adrenaline rush is like a drug, I just can't help myself."

"If you get arrested you'll go to juvenile hall and I will be thrown right back into foster care. Do you really want that to happen?"

"I know, I'm sorry. I wish I could get a job so I could take better care of you. Rainey, I want you to be happy is all. This is no life for you. Living on the street, never knowing where your next meal is coming from or where you're going to sleep." I respond.

"And it's a good life for you? You deserve to be happy too. I hate it when you think that you don't deserve to be happy." Her eyes fill with tears.

"Hey don't cry. I hate it when you cry." I open the bag of bread and the jar of peanut butter and hand them to her. "Here please eat." She dips her index finger into the peanut butter and uses it as a knife to spread the peanut butter on the bread.

"You have to eat too." Rainey says, handing back the jar and bread.

I scoop peanut butter out with four of my fingers and lick it off then shove a piece of bread in my mouth.

"Really Lucas? You're such a pig!" She yells at me, then laughs. Her eyes sparkle for a moment. I miss her laugh.

"Sorry." I answer almost unable to speak. "So the shelter will be open soon. We should go get in line before all the beds are taken." I say, grabbing the bag.

Rainey gathers the bread and peanut butter and shoves them into the bag on my back. We walk the four blocks to the shelter. There's already a line of homeless people waiting. We fall in behind a woman with all of her belongings in a baby stroller. A man stands behind us smelling of cigarettes and alcohol, he leers at us. I hold Rainey's hand tightly. She holds my arm and leans against me trembling. The line begins to move and all of a sudden everyone begins charging towards the door. We are being pushed against a mass of people. Rainey loses her grip and is swept up in the frenzy. Losing sight of her, I'm jumping up to see over the crowd. Someone knocks into me and I find myself being stepped on. Quickly the crowd thins out and the doors of the shelter close. I get to me feet and scan the area for my sister.